POSTED 26 JUL 1999
Red blood cells as seen in a scanning electron microscope.
© James A. Sullivan.
Armstrong wins Tour de France
Lance Armstrong became the second American to win the Tour de France yesterday when the 2,290-mile race ended in Paris. The 86th edition of the race was the fastest on record. Armstrong averaged 40.276 kilometers per hour over three weeks, including four days in high mountains and won by an amazing 7 minutes, 37 seconds over runner-up Alex Zulle. It was the first victory by an American team, the U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team.
The victory was all the more astounding given that Armstrong was treated for a near-fatal case of advanced testicular cancer three years ago. After repeated surgeries and chemotherapy, Armstrong was given less than a 50 percent chance to live.
After winning the cycling classic at a record pace, Armstrong responded to accusations in the French press that drugs had helped his comeback from cancer. Cycling officials were eager to avoid "Tour de Pharmacie II," a sequel to the dope-soaked 1998 race. So the 1999 edition featured regular testing of race leaders, random tests and three tests of substantial portions of the field. The tests revealed no widespread drug use.
Armstrong, who is campaigning to fight cancer, says the disease changed his life. "To race and suffer, that is hard," he told the London Times, "but that is not being laid out in a hospital bed in Indianapolis with a catheter hanging out of my chest, with platinum pumping into my veins, throwing up for 24 hours straight for five days, taking a two-week break and doing it again. We have all heard the saying, 'What does not kill you makes you stronger,' and that is exactly it."
©2002, University of Wisconsin, Board of Regents.